


Still Water

by Aeshaettr (orphan_account)



Category: Bloodborne (Video Game), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Angry Bakugou Katsuki, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Bakugou Katsuki is Bad at Feelings, Body Horror, Dadzawa, Eldritch, F/M, Gen, Izuku has no idea what he's doing, M/M, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Protection Squad, Parental Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Protective Bakugou Katsuki, Psychological Horror, Psychological Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-18 14:20:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13683432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Aeshaettr
Summary: Bakugou Katsuki has a quirk that creates explosions.At four, he dreams of beating up monsters, saving the day, and being super cool.At five, he dreams of fire, of All Might, and his currently Quirkless friend.At six, Izuku's quirk awakens.Bakugou Katsuki dreams of drowning, and Midoriya Izuku doesn't dream at all.





	1. Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a thing I'm doing. Wish me luck.
> 
> Comments are always welcomed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments - especially theories, feedback, and discussions - are always welcome.

Bakugou Katsuki has never felt his world crumble before, but he reckons it feels a lot like this.  
  
Shallow breathing, coming in short ragged bursts, as his heart beats out a clockwork bruise against his ribs. Belatedly, he realizes he may be having a panic attack, and forces himself to think. THINK. His palms are cold and clammy, clenched against his pants, and there is a tiny glow peeking through his fingers.  
  
Suddenly, it's very clear what he has to do.  
  
"Mom." He says, or tries to, as salt water pours out of his mouth again. Blech. "Mom. I need to see him."  
  
Mom tenses. He knows why.  
  
"I'm not angry at him." He insists, and his voice holds no heat. Not when his best friend might never wake up. Not now.  
  
"It might not.. be a good idea." Bakugou tenses. Now he's pissed.  
  
"MOM! I NEED TO SEE HIM." Panic slipped through, now, because what if the parasite dies without the sea and  the dark.  
  
What if it was too late.  
  
"Don't you _dare_ talk to m-" He didn't care. Not now.   
  
" _ **I KNOW HOW TO WAKE HIM UP!"**_  
  
That got her attention. Good.   
  
"Hospital. Please."  
  
Mom's face contorted in the mirror, fear and panic overtaken by anger and commitment.  
  
The car jerked as she turned.  
  
"I hope to fucking God you are right."  
  


* * *

  
The hospital is white and bright. Too bright, after the watery abyss of his not-dream. He had to squint his eyes just to see, and the squeeze his Mom had on his arm told him she knew. It should have made him mad.  
  
He wasn't mad. He was scared.  
  
Mom had a furious stare as she whisper-shouts at the receptionist, but he cannot hear over the rush of waves.   
  
He walks diligently with his mother towards his friend's room, ignoring the scent of salt. Ignoring the garbled words and promises by doctors.  
  
He cannot ignore Auntie Inko's face, stricken with grief, as he stumbles into the room and peers into Izuku's pale face. Lights flicker over his face, as if he was a foot underwater.  
  
Without thinking, ignoring the pained gasp from Auntie, he forced the terrible, wondrous parasite into his friend's mouth.  
  
The sound of ocean wave cut off, as Izuku sat up, and vomited all at once. A shriek, as Mama stepped back from the massive deluge of sea water spewing out of Izuku's mouth, settling onto the floor.  
  
Inko stepped forth, wrapping Izuku into a tight hug, squeezing, as the green-haired boy peered up at Katsuki.   
  
"Thanks, Kacchan."  
  
He sounded drained. Older, almost.  
  
He hadn't opened his eyes.


	2. Surface.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katsuki awakens.
> 
> Izuku doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback super welcome!

Bakugou Katsuki wakes up.

  
  
Except he doesn't. Bakugou Katsuki is underwater, and it is dark.  
  
Katsuki is in the ocean. He's never been so far underwater, so he must be in the ocean. Strangely, he is no longer drowning.  
  
The water is black, black as tar, and still as ice. A little white speck floats, glowing in the black. Katsuki swims  to it, or tries. It is tough going, though, because the water is dense, denser than it should be. Katsuki realizes he is very, very deep.  
  
A little frantically, he pulls himself towards the glowing speck, the anchor in the dark. It's a little glowing bug, all arms and no eyes and tendrils. Gently, Katsuki scooped it between his hands, peering at it. Vaguely slug shaped, with an engorged rear end, and a strange, wheel-shaped middle. The other was a mass of feathery tendrils, akin to down. A curious, terrible thing, and Katsuki knew it.  
  
Still, it was his only his hint in the vast ocean, and Katsuki was smart. Smarter than his brash outwards appearance would suggest, and definitely smartest in his class. So, he leaned in to the parasite, and whispered to it.  
  
"Get me out." Simple. Easy. And for a moment, the parasite did nothing but waver softly against minuscule currents.  
  
Just as Katsuki was about to get real pissed with the little bug, it rotated upwards, tendrils twisting to point above Katsuki's head. He looks, strains his eyes, and sees. A grey circle of water, shimmering above him. And so he swims. The parasite, forgotten, clings to his fingers as he drags himself towards the widening circle of light. He is angrier, now, and anger gives him strength, just as much as the green mop of hair does, standing on the surface of the water. It's calling.  
  
"Kacchan?!" It cries, and Kacchan speeds up. Izuku sounds scared, but not broken, like he did before. Like everything he was, is, and will be was being torn in half by his own quirk.  
  
Kacchan says none of that. Katsuki slaps on the bottom of the surface of the water, because it is now a solid sheet, and shouts his best friends name. Izuku looks down, starts, and reaches into the water.  
  
For an instant, a second, _Katsuki is drowning all over again.._  
  
Then Izuku pulls.  


* * *

  
Bakugou Katsuki awakens, and it is like a punch to the face to the boy.  
  
He coughs, retches up saltwater, and lets it dribble down his chin. Faintly, he hears voices, but he cannot hear due to the roaring ocean in his ears. He retches again, and vomits out a tiny, glowing parasite, and nothing else.  
  
With a start, he realizes that he is in his mother's car, and..  
  
"Katsuki!" Mother is there. "We were so worried! What in the fuck happened? We got called to say you were unconscious in a spare room with Izuku!"  
  
It takes a little bit to form the words, but he manages. "De- Izuku's quirk. He got it."  
  
For some reason, Mother's hands tighten on the wheel, and Katsuki, even at six, knows something is wrong.  
  
"Yeah..I was told. Quirk awakenings can be bad.. not like this." She's mumbling to herself. Something is really wrong.  
  
"Mama?" He murmurs, and ignores the tendrils gently caressing his fingers. "What happened to Izuku?"  
  
"I.." She pauses, and Katsuki suddenly wishes he was drowning again, because it's so peaceful in that dark ocean. Not like this. It's easy to be ignorant and unaware, deep down in the black, with just the parasites guiding his way.  
  
Bakugou wishes he didn't know so many words.  
  
"Izuku is in a coma."  
  
  
  



	3. Recovery.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One foot in front of the other.

Izuku was having a bad day. A very bad day. What had started with cold clammy skin and a blistering goddamned headache, ended with him waking up in the hospital. Goddammit.  
  
At least he remembered to keep his eyes closed. He didn't think he would get the terrified, haunted look in Kacchan's eyes when they had looked into each other's eyes. Izuku Midoriya was gonna look after his friends, and if he let his eyes hurt anyone else, well then that's not very heroic, now is it. Indeed, as he was quietly suffocating in his mother's grasp, it was all he could possibly do to squeeze his eyelids shut, and cling to his mother. His mouth tasted like salt, gross, but at least he had a quirk. Even if it was...  
  
Terrifying.  
  
There was something he had to do, first. Gently, he pushed his mother away, ignoring, for now, her little squeak of protest. Adorable as it was, the six year old couldn't tease his mother right now. Opening his mouth to speak... he coughed harshly, sea water vomiting out in a spray of salt-scented brine. Vaguely, he heard Kacchan shout his name, but it didn't matter right now.  
  
"Is there a doctor here?" He murmured, around a mouthful of salt, and ew he really needed some mouthwash, because this tasted gross.  
  
"Right here, young man." Ah. Younger male. To his..left! Izuku turned to the voice, smiling nervously, a crack across his face that betrayed the fear inside. Dimly, as if it didn't really relate to him, he was aware of how much he was shaking.  
  
Why was he scared?  
  
"Can I have some mouthwash? And.. a blindfold?" He said, quietly. He was aware of people shifting beside and in front of him, confused by the questions. He knew what he needed right now, and concern wasn't it. "Please. I don't- wanna hurt until I can control." His voice was scratchy, slurring lightly, drooling around saltwater that pooled under his tongue.  
  
There was a pause, as someone shifted through paper and fabric close by to him, as someone - Mom - leaned in, and whisper-murmured into his ear.  
  
"Are you sure, Izuku?" Mom asks, quietly. He's never been more sure of anything.   
  
"Yes." He says, and he is greeted by cool hands fastening around his eyes. Cloth covers his vision, and, minutely, he relaxes. Not by much, but when he opens his eyes, he is greeted by a rough haze of the world.  
  
He's more scared of himself than he is of the dark.  
  
"Izuku!" That's Kacchan. Thankfully, he doesn't sound angry. Just... determined. "Remember, we gotta be great heroes someday. We're gonna train soon!" Izuku, stammering slightly in a confused rush, settled for a nod.   
  
It was good to have a light in the dark.  
  


  
Going back to school the next day was difficult. He was holding onto Kacchan's arm, carefully pacing with him. One step in front of the other.  
  
It's all he could do.  
  
He was aware of people whispering around him, pointing. He didn't care. Kacchan was warm, and safe, even when he screaming at classmates to leave them the FUCK alone. Izuku was gonna learn a lot of bad words from Kacchan, he could FEEL it. Still, it was nice to have someone who cared.   
  
"Anyway, class. Today, we are gonna be doing crafts! ..Izuku, do you want to sit out for this?"  
  
Izuku froze, for a moment... before shaking his head to the negative. An idea was forming, and he turned to Katsuki with a wide grin. He couldn't see it, per say, but he could almost feel Kacchan raising an eyebrow.   
  
"Kacchan? Wanna help me make something?" He said, innocently. Kacchan merely murmured, curiously. "Can you get us... a long strip of black cloth, thread of any color, and scissors!" Kacchan snorted in amusement, and shifted beside him, as Izuku scratched the bandages over his eyes. It wasn't long before Katsuki had returned, dumping cloth and thread over Izuku's hands, startling the boy.  
  
"How you wanna do this, nerd?" Kacchan ghing on rumbled, not unkindly, and Izuku BEAMED. "I don't trust your dumb ass with scissors right now, Deku." Izuku blinked at the nickname, but the...warmth in Kacchan's voice almost brought tears to his eyes. "You do measurements, I'll handle sharp shit. Got it?"  
  
"Got it, Kacchan!"  
  


* * *

  
"'Zuku, how wide we need it?"  
  
"Fingertip to wrist, Kacchan!"  
  


* * *

"Lemme stitch and fold it."  
  
"I'll fold, you stitch."  
  
"...Fine."  
  


* * *

"Kacchan, can we put something on it?"  
  
"Whatcha thinkin', Deku?"  
  
"..I dunno. Something like a warning?"  
  
"What about-"

* * *

  
When the pair had done, Izuku was beaming again. Across his eyes, and much of his nose, was a black cloth, stitched with crimson thread. Across the nose and down was the kanji for 'nightmare', a warning and reminder to the world, and himself. It, too, was inscribed in crimson thread, standing against the black.  
  
  
  
"C'mon, Nightmare Eyes. Time to get your skinny ass home." Katsuki said, huffing as Izuku pouted under the cloth. "You gotta work to make sure your eyes don't hurt anyone. AND we gotta find out what in the fuck it actually is."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
One foot in front of the other.  
  
  
For now, it's all he can manage.  
  
  



	4. Memory: I of IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Flashback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is coming out in four small parts!

"Focus, you fucking nerd!"  


* * *

_"Focus, you asshole, c'mon!"_  
  
_Izuku was lost in the ocean, again, unaware of his surroundings. It happened a lot, and there was nothing he could really do about it. Unfortunate, but the horrors of the depths waited for no mortal man. The buzzing of static fingers drilled into his brain, driving into his amygdala, and sending a lance of fear down his spine._  
  
_It was then he understood._  
  
_He had been in a cosmic audience with some great, terrible thing, with knowledge that was too much for his mind that thought in a mere four dimensions. It hurt, these secrets, but they had promised._  
  
_"Soon." They had said._  
  
_"Soon you will know us, and you will weep ash."_  
  
_It was then he was dragged to the surface by some wondrous and terrible thing with two thumbs. Breaking the boundary, he was face to face with an angry, eight-year-old Katsuki.  What the fuck was going on?!_  
  
_Oh yeah. Training._  
  
_Shit._  
  
_"Listen to ME, Izuku. C'mon!"_  
  
_And then, Kacchan started to charge. Fucking goddammit. Almost instantly, Izuku started to flood with seawater. The sound of the ocean leaked out of his pores, and his clothes became sodden and heavy with water. It didn't provide any defence, apart from fire. Flames just petered out against him, but the real perk was something else entirely._  
  
_When Katsuki swung, Izuku didn't even move, weighed down by water. It didn't mean it didn't hurt, because being denser didn't mean pain receptors suddenly upped and vanished. So, even as Katsuki tried to get Izuku to fucking MOVE, he was wincing and rubbing his arm._  
  
_"Izuku. That's fuckin' cool."_  
  
_His cheeks burned red._  
  
_"Thanks!"_


End file.
